The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to wedge-shaped modular plastic conveyor belts used to navigate turns.
Modular plastic conveyor belts are widely used in various industries to convey products. Modular plastic conveyor belts are constructed of a series of rows of side-by-side belt modules. Hinge eyes along opposite ends of each row interleave with hinge eyes of consecutive rows. A hinge rod inserted in the interleaved hinge eyes connects the rows together at hinge joints into an endless conveyor belt loop.
Conveyor belts formed of wedge-shaped modules may be used to navigate turns while reducing floor space. Prior wedge-shaped modules require a drive shaft having progressively larger drive sprockets along the shaft to accommodate the widening modules. In order for the conveying surface to remain horizontal and parallel to product flow, the drive shaft must be skewed downwards, causing the hinge rods hinging the modules together to be nonparallel with the driving shaft. Consequently, the teeth of the drive sprockets used to drive the wedge-shaped modules must be angled and shaped, increasing complication and manufacturing costs.